STATE OF NEW YORK
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267--B
Cal. No. 18
2021-2022 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY(Prefiled)
January 6, 2021
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Introduced by M. of A. GUNTHER -- read once and referred to the Commit-
tee on Tourism, Parks, Arts and Sports Development -- reported and
referred to the Committee on Ways and Means -- advanced to a third
reading, passed by Assembly and delivered to the Senate, recalled from
the Senate, vote reconsidered, bill amended, ordered reprinted,
retaining its place on the order of third reading -- ordered to a
third reading -- passed by Assembly and delivered to the Senate,
recalled from the Senate, vote reconsidered, bill amended, ordered
reprinted, retaining its place on the order of third reading
AN ACT to amend the arts and cultural affairs law, in relation to creat-
ing arts and cultural districts
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The arts and cultural affairs law is amended by adding a
2 new section 3.17 to read as follows:
3 § 3.17. Arts and cultural districts. 1. For the purposes of this
4 section, "arts and cultural districts" means geographic areas of a city,
5 town or village with a concentration of arts or cultural facilities
6 located within its boundaries. Two or more local governments may jointly
7 apply for a designated district where the proposed geographic area of
8 such district shall extend across commonly held jurisdictional bounda-
9 ries.
10 2. The council, in cooperation with the department of economic devel-
11 opment and any other state department, office, division or agency the
12 council deems necessary, shall develop criteria and guidelines for state
13 designated arts and cultural districts. Criteria developed by the coun-
14 cil, in cooperation with the department of economic development and any
15 other state department, office, division or agency the council deems
16 necessary, to designate a district shall, to the extent practicable,
17 include, but not be limited to, determinations that such district: (a)
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD02715-04-2
A. 267--B 2
1 attracts artists or cultural enterprises to the community, (b) encour-
2 ages enterprise and job development due to the concentration of artistic
3 or cultural activity, a major arts or cultural institution or facility,
4 arts and entertainment businesses, an area with arts and cultural activ-
5 ities, or artistic or cultural production, (c) attracts a sufficient
6 amount of tourism, (d) enhances local property values and fosters local
7 cultural development, (e) engages in the promotional, preservation, and
8 educational aspects of the arts and culture of the community and
9 contribute to the public through interpretive, educational, or recre-
10 ational uses; or (f) satisfies additional criteria as determined by the
11 council that will further the purposes of this section. The council, in
12 cooperation with the department of economic development and any other
13 state department, office, division or agency the council deems neces-
14 sary, shall also develop guidelines that provide assistance to a city,
15 town, or village, or multiple local governments applying jointly in
16 developing an application for district certification. For any state
17 designated arts and cultural district, the department of economic
18 development, in cooperation with the council and any other state depart-
19 ment, office, division or agency the department deems necessary, shall
20 provide state supported assistance to the district in its activities,
21 including but not limited to technical assistance in applying for
22 federal and non-profit grants, marketing expertise, identification of
23 other state resources that may assist a district's activities or
24 programs that could be created or expanded within state agencies to
25 assist districts.
26 § 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day after
27 it shall have become a law.
